10 Creative (And Surprising!) Uses For Baking Soda

10 Creative (And Surprising!) Uses For Baking Soda

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Baking soda is a pantry staple. You probably have one box deodorizing your fridge right now, while another waits to be used in this weekend's biscuit recipe. But sodium bicarbonate (baking soda's more scientific moniker) is actually one of the most versatile tools in your arsenal. It can be used to replace expensive beauty products or as a substitute for toxic chemicals.

Click through for 10 creative ways to use baking soda in your everyday life from DIY teeth whitening to all-natural exfoliating scrubs.

Instead of using bleach,which can be toxic, whiten clothes with baking soda and vinegar. Add a 1/2 cup of vinegar and a 1/2 cup of baking soda to your wash. Your clothes will be whiter and brighter than ever and stains will disappear.

Baking soda is a mild abrasive, which is why it's so effective at removing the dark stains left by coffee, tea, soda, and cigarettes. Combine it with bacteria-fighting coconut oil for an all-natural, whitening tooth paste.

Are products weighing down your hair? Give your locks a break with a baking soda clarifying shampoo, followed by a vinegar rinse. Get the recipe here.

Illustrated by Ly Ngo.

If your latest spray tan left you looking more like an oompa loompa than a bronzed beach goddess, consider scrubbing it off and starting anew. Simply mix baking soda with a bit of lemon juice and exfoliate the tan away.

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If last week's tuna fish is still stinking up your refrigerator, open up a box of baking soda and set it inside. It will absorb the bad odor naturally! If you feel so inclined, glam up your DIY air freshener with this tutorial from Livin' the Crunchy Life.

Baking soda is an alkaline compound, which means it can naturally neutralize the pH level of your skin, soothing irritations, sunburns, and bug bites.

According to HuffPost Style, baking soda can be used to make a detoxifying foot bath. "Get rid of foot odor and fungus by soaking your feet for 15 to 30 minutes in a solution made out of warm water, a half cup of baking soda and a few drops of tea tree oil," they said.

Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the water in the vase.